Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a treatment for movement disorders, such as dystonia and essential tremor, that uses a mild electrical current to affect how brain cells work. It requires surgery to implant a device in the brain and upper chest that sends an electrical current through wires to specific brain areas causing problems.

Penn Medicine doctors have a long history as leaders in deep brain stimulation. As one of the largest DBS treatment centers in the nation, our neurosurgery team has performed thousands of DBS surgeries, improving the quality of life for people with movement disorders.

The deep brain stimulator has three parts:

• An electrical generator device: This device—similar to a heart pacemaker—is implanted underneath your collarbone. It sends continuous pulses of electrical current through wires attached to electrodes in the brain. This device is known as the implantable pulse generator (IPG).
• Electrodes: These thin wires (leads) deliver electrical impulses directly to the brain.
• Extension wires: These thin wires are insulated with a protective coating. They connect the electrodes to the electrical generator device.

The electrical current stimulates the brain’s nerve cells, interrupting abnormal signals in the brain that cause movement disorder symptoms.

Current studies are investigating if DBS can help treat other conditions, including:

• Alzheimer’s disease
• Anorexia nervosa  
• Chronic pain (including phantom limb pain, cluster headaches, and cancer pain)  
• Drug addiction  
• Major depression  
• Obesity and related eating disorders
• Schizophrenia
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
• Tourette’s syndrome

Most people spend one night in the hospital and go home the day after DBS implantation. Physical recovery takes several weeks, so resting as much as possible is important for healing. You’ll probably be able to return to work within two to four weeks.

About a month after the procedure, your neurologist will begin to program the stimulator over several visits. The goal is to fine-tune the pulse generator to the settings that reduce your symptoms and minimize side effects. Most people reach the right settings in about six months, but it can take up to 18 months to feel maximum benefit from the treatment.

DBS can help control symptoms that don’t respond to medications without causing serious side effects. Many people with DBS find they can return to activities that were previously difficult for them.  

Although complications from deep brain stimulation surgery are rare, all surgeries come with some risks. Rare risks of DBS surgery include:  

• Bleeding and swelling  
• Headache  
• Infection  
• Seizure  
• Stroke  

Other rare complications related to the DBS device may include problems with the device and leads, such as loose or disconnected wires or a malfunctioning pulse generator. Your doctor checks for these problems after surgery. If problems do happen, your doctor will perform a procedure to fix or replace the device, leads, or electrodes.  

After the IPG is turned on and DBS treatment starts, some people experience side effects, including:  

• Apathy  
• Confusion, focus, or memory problems  
• Changes in speech (problems with clarity, slurring, or word finding)  
• Loss of balance  
• Muscle cramping  
• Numbness or tingling in the face or limbs (usually temporary)  
• Visual problems, such as double vision (usually temporary)  

Your doctor will work with you to minimize these possible side effects when adjusting your DBS settings.  

Penn Medicine is recognized as a national leader in delivering and advancing pioneering surgical treatments such as deep brain stimulation.  

When you choose our team for DBS treatment, you’ll find:  

• Personalized care: Our pre-operative DBS clinic team discusses each case at regularly scheduled meetings. This collaboration across disciplines ensures that every person receives individualized care designed to achieve the best outcomes.  
• Extensive DBS expertise: We’ve performed thousands of DBS surgeries, making Penn one of the largest DBS treatment centers in the country.  
• Excellent outcomes: Our surgical expertise reduces your risk of complications and promotes faster recovery times.  
• Careful follow-up: After surgery, your neurologist programs the DBS device to address your specific needs. Routinely scheduled follow-up visits allow your doctor to adjust the device’s settings and your current medications to achieve the best possible results.  
• Care close to home: Penn neurosurgeons see patients at satellite locations across the region, allowing for convenient consultations, second opinions, and pre- and post-operative care in your community.